A polarized light splitting element, that is, an element which transmits one type of polarized light from light incident to the element, and absorbs or reflects the other types of polarized light, may be used for various purposes.
For example, the polarized light splitting element may be used to form a liquid crystal alignment layer. That is, a photo alignment layer capable of arranging liquid crystal molecules through a surface treated with irradiation of light is used as the liquid crystal alignment layer, the photo alignment layer may be formed by irradiating a photosensitive material layer, for example, with linearly polarized light, and orientationally ordering the photosensitive material, and the polarized light splitting element may be used for the formation of the linearly polarized light. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an element prepared using aluminum as an example of the above-described polarized light splitting element.
Further, a type of the polarized light splitting element which transmits one polarized light from light incident to the element, and reflects another polarized light, for example, may also be used for a brightness enhancement film.